Aberdeen Pool Looking Forward To Visitors During Heat

It should be a busy pool weekend as hot temperatures come to the area. City leaders in Aberdeen are hoping that'll help them gain some ground.

Several cooler days this year have dropped attendance numbers and that will hurt revenue if it continues.

"We don't mind a little cooler weather to start, but as we get into the heat of the summer, it's nice to see some warm temperatures," Travis Lemer said.

Lemer is the city's aquatics and recreation supervisor. Over the years he tracks pool attendance and temperatures, which are linked.

Take this week, for example. It started in the 60s and less than 200 people showed up to the pool. The 80s at the end of the week drew closer to 700. A day in the 90-degree range this year attracted 1,600.

That doesn't surprise Aberdeen dad Shawn Kempf who comes to the pool with his kids.

"Usually 80 to 85 or else it's a little chilly," Kempf said.

If there are too many days cooler than that, it can hit the pool's budget because it relies on concession, ticket and other sales. The city wants enough revenue to come in to cover 95 percent of the pool's expenses.

That's usually happened in the aquatic center's seven years but not always. Lemer says this year could be a challenge so he'll carefully watch spending.

"We'll monitor things and we'll kind of see how things are going. Numbers are just starting to come in and we'll adjust things as we can," Lemer said.

He'll also hope for warmer days.

Erich Schaffhauser: If it gets in the 60s, do you even come?Kempf: Ah, no thank you.

Looking at the last two years, you can see how attendance changes the bottom line. Last year the pool covered 93 percent of its expenses when it drew less than 50,000 swimmers. In 2012 the pool made money when more than 62,000 came through its gates.